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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22356796">Road to Recovery</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/killerweasel/pseuds/killerweasel'>killerweasel</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Mad World [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Omens (TV Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, soft Hastur- sortof</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 09:08:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,091</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22356796</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/killerweasel/pseuds/killerweasel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dealing with the aftermath of Aziraphale being tortured.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Mad World [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1609300</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Road to Recovery</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="inner">
<p></p><div class="entry-content"><p>Title: Road to Recovery<br/>
Fandom: Good Omens (TV Series)<br/>
Characters: Aziraphale, Crowley, Hastur<br/>
Pairings: Aziraphale/Crowley<br/>
Word Count: 1,057<br/>
Rating: PG-13<br/>
A/N: After Episode 6.<br/>
Summary: Dealing with the aftermath of Aziraphale being tortured.</p><p>
      <a id="cutid1" name="cutid1"></a>
    </p><p> </p><p>Aziraphale is barely inside of the cottage when Crowley rushes up to him. "Angel? Where the Heaven have you been? You left to go to the bakery five hours ago!" Something crosses over Crowley's face. "You smell like Hastur. He's all over you." Crowley's teeth sharpen into fangs. "Where is he? I'll kill him!"</p><p>He's forgotten how much better Crowley's sense of smell is than his own. Of course he smells like Hastur. He was wrapped up in the Duke's wings, being comforted after having been tortured at Gabriel's orders. "My dear boy, you've got it a bit wrong." He tries to take a step forward and finds his legs feel like jelly. Aziraphale's vision swims, more than likely the events of the day catching up to him, and he starts to topple forward.</p><p>"I've got you." Crowley catches him before he hits the floor. With strength he doesn't use very often, the demon scoops up Aziraphale in his arms and carries him to their bedroom. Aziraphale is shaking, gasping for breath, and tears have begun to leak from his eyes. A wave of terror goes through Crowley's frame. He hasn't been this frightened and angry since their 'trials'. "Can you tell me what happened?"</p><p>Aziraphale finds himself cocooned for a second time by a pair of black wings. But these are wings he knows. If the light hits Crowley's feathers just right, Aziraphale swears he can see hints of a deep purple in the primaries. He closes his eyes as Crowley wraps his arms around him. The demon whispers nonsense in his ears, rocks him back and forth, and slowly the tremors go away.</p><p>It takes a little while to tell exactly what happened. Aziraphale works his way through finding himself bound, telling exactly what Hastur did and why it was done that way. He has to pause a few times to get himself back under control as he describes in great detail seeing his body torn open and damaged. Even if it hadn't hurt until the very end, it was a horrible experience. The only thing he doesn't mention, was how gentle Hastur had been with him afterwards. He glosses over that bit, just saying Hastur made sure he was healed before leaving.</p><p>"Fucking Gabriel." Crowley fights to keep his fingernails from turning to claws. As much as he would love to track the Archangel down and tear his throat out, he knows it would be suicidal. Instead, he leans in, kissing Aziraphale's temple. "When you feel up to it, I think we should take a nice, long bath."</p><p>"That sounds wonderful." Some of the tension leaves Aziraphale's body. He snaps his fingers, willing the bathtub to be full of water at just the perfect temperature. "Shall we?"</p><p>---</p><p>"Hastur isn't nice. He can't be nice. I'm never nice either, but I've never heard of him doing something like that. He must have been incredibly pissed off at Gabriel." Crowley wiped the cloth over Aziraphale's shoulders. He couldn't see any scars from the damage Hastur had inflicted. The Duke had restored everything to its original state. The only thing he'd found was a very faint outline on Aziraphale's stomach, where Gabriel had healed the injury.</p><p>"I think he was put in a position he didn't want to be in and made the best of the situation. It could have been so much worse. He could have let it hurt, could have made me feel everything while he was doing it, could have left me awake for the entire thing." Aziraphale leans back against the edge of the tub, sighing as Crowley runs the soft cloth over every inch of skin. "But, he was right. Demons are so used to doing deals and sticking to agreements that going back on one would never cross their minds. They have more honor than angels."</p><p>"Funny world when demons do the right thing and angels do the wrong one." Crowley raises an eyebrow and makes an inviting gesture. Aziraphale moves until his back is resting against Crowley's chest. "You're going to have nightmares if you sleep. And certain sounds or scents will put you back into that room. Been there, done that, have a couple of t-shirts about it." His voice is soft. "I hate that you went through it even if it wasn't as horrible as it could have been."</p><p>Aziraphale curls his fingers around Crowley's wrist, bring the demon's hand to his lips. He kisses the palm gently. "I know, my dear." He sighs. "I think I might try to sleep tonight. I'm exhausted. Would you watch over me and wake me if I start having bad dreams?"</p><p>"Of course, angel. Always."</p><p>---</p><p>A demonic miracle makes the hair on the back of Crowley's neck stand on end. He can feel Hastur in the corner of the room. He carefully unwraps himself from Aziraphale's body, trying not to wake the angel. Crowley motions for Hastur to go into the bathroom and follows as quietly as possible.</p><p>Hastur leans against the wall. There's an expression on his face Crowley has never seen before. "How is he?"</p><p>"You really shouldn't be here." Crowley shifts so he can keep an eye on the slumbering angel. "He's okay, considering what happened. It caught him off guard when he came home. We've been dealing with it as best as we can."</p><p>"You want to hurt me?"</p><p>Crowley finally recognizes Hastur's expression. It's guilt. "Even if I did, I wouldn't do it here." Spilling blood would taint the cottage. "I'd rather hurt Gabriel, honestly."</p><p>"Fucking Gabriel." Hastur makes a few very rude gestures towards the ceiling. "At least I don't owe him a blessed thing now."</p><p>"I'm not going to thank you for torturing Aziraphale." Hastur opens his mouth and Crowley silences him with a hand. "That being said, how you did it... well..."</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>A whimpering noise makes both of them freeze. On the bed, Aziraphale is starting to thrash around. Crowley sighs. "We can continue this at a later date. He needs me and you have to go."</p><p>With a snap, Crowley is back to on the bed. He whispers Aziraphale's name while giving the angel's shoulder a little shake. Hastur watches from the doorway of the bathroom. The Duke doesn't vanish until he sees Aziraphale being cradled in Crowley's arms.</p></div></div>
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